I certainly concur that privacy would be an issue and a problem and I certainly would be willing to meet with the RCMP to discuss solutions to that problem.
May I also suggest that the Minister of Justice talk to the Minister of Health about whether there could be a dedicated space or whether there is already planned a dedicated space in the new hospital for the use of the sexual assault evidence collection kit?
I certainly don't know whether there is any dedicated space in the plans for the new hospital. I will, however, be pleased to speak with the Minister of Health about this issue.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Yellowknife Centre.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, can I get a commitment from the Minister to follow up on these questions when he does his other follow-up to oral questions from this session? Mahsi.
Thank you. I'd be happy to make that commitment.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I'd like to thank the Minister of Infrastructure for putting such great confidence in me that a one-on-one meeting together will represent all the stakeholder interest in the procurement process and the government. Alas, Mr. Speaker, I am only one honourable Member of this House, and I'm going to ask if the Minister will reconsider his position from the previous sitting of this House and establish a special advisory panel on procurement that will draw expertise from public servants, NWT businesses, and procurement experts to make a better procurement system for the territory. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I don't think much has changed since last session. I will not commit to doing that. I'm willing to sit down, as I said, with the Member and discuss the problems that he's having with one of his constituents. I believe we have a very robust system in place for procurement in the Government of the Northwest Territories. Is it perfect? No, but we are working on that on a daily basis and trying to make things better for all residents in the Northwest Territories. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I'm a bit disappointed. I know the Minister is fond of advisory committees. He's established one for the Yellowknife Airport, so I was hoping he'd consider doing one for this issue as well. If not a committee, then, or a panel, would the Minister be willing to hire a consultant who can issue a comprehensive report that looks at government procurement policies and then we can take action on that report? Is the Minister willing to make that commitment?
No, I am not willing to commit to do that. As I've said in this House, I believe we have a good system in place. Is it perfect? No. We will continually work to improve it for residents in the Northwest Territories and businesses in the NWT.
I'm a bit disappointed. I know the Minister's very fond of consultants and helping the government do its work. What I'm trying to do by offering these suggestions is improve our procurement in a more public, transparent, and substantive way. If not any of these options I present on the table today, Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit to coming to a constituency meeting or community meeting in my riding of Kam Lake that has many businesses and hearing the concerns directly from my constituents about the procurement? Will he make that commitment? I'll even provide the refreshments.
No, I will not go to a constituency meeting with the Member. We just did a tour with a number of MLAs and deputy ministers of his riding, particularly around manufacturers in the NWT. We have a public process to participate in procurement process in the Northwest Territories. We can allow input to there. People can write letters to me, as I've said, or contact me. As I've said in this House before, I believe the last time I spoke, I did not have one complaint around procurement in the Northwest Territories and, since the last session, I maybe had one or two complaints about procurement in the Northwest Territories. I'm not about to spend public money on a full-scale review of procurement in the Northwest Territories because a Member's constituent may have a problem. Maybe it is our fault and we will look into it, but I'm not going to spend public money in that matter.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Kam Lake.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. We've made progress today. The Minister has received two complaints. That's way better than zero complaints, but that's still just the tip of the iceberg. I appreciate that the Minister doesn't want to make this an expensive and an ineffective process, so I would suggest that we can work together to develop terms of reference that would ensure we streamline this process and make it work.
I'm disappointed that, even if I pay for the meeting, he's not willing to come to it, but I'll put it this way, Mr. Speaker: did the Minister hear the complaints from those vendors when we went on that tour together earlier this year? Did the Minister hear those complaints and is he taking action on them? Because several complaints were levied against the procurement system. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, we've heard certain challenges from certain people in the manufacturing sector in the Northwest Territories. That's why we're coming forward with a manufacturer's strategy and, in the life of this government, we will address those in particular. As I've said, we have a very robust procurement system in the Northwest Territories; probably better than any province or territory in Canada. We will continue going down that road to help northern businesses meet the procurement to the Government of the Northwest Territories.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I also have questions for the Minister responsible for Infrastructure. In follow-up to my questions last week, I would like to ask the Minister: are the ferries in Tsiigehtchic and Fort McPherson ready for launch? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Infrastructure.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As of the latest information I had, we are still going through some refit stuff. There is actually some painting going on both of the ferries in the Member's riding. There is ongoing work and also site preparation to launch the ferries. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Last week, as I kind of figured, the water dropped significantly in my riding of Tsiigehtchic and also in Fort McPherson. Is the department starting the work on the landings and making everything ready so that, once a ferry is launched, they are ready for service?
As I said last week in this House, I think we anticipate the launching of the ferries in a timely manner, as it normally is the first or second week of June. Like I say, we are doing some painting. We are doing inspections. We are doing some maintenance on the vessels. I do not know if the loaders and stuff are out fixing the approaches right now, as they could be soft still from the water levels just recently receding. I can check into it and update the Member.
You know, it is different every year, as the Minister just explained, but usually as early as the 1st or 2nd of June, the ferry is usually ready. As soon as we have no ice on the river, they usually launch the ferry and build up the landings, start operations. We have a graduation this coming weekend. Does the Minister think that the ferry will be operating by then?
I will have to check with the department to see where we are with a number of these things. Like I said, with the painting and the repairs and stuff going on and the site preparation, I cannot commit to this House if it is going to be ready or not for graduation this weekend. We will see what the department comes back with about how things are going on the ground.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Mackenzie Delta.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I would just like to ask the Minister: is there anything that is holding back the ferries? Are they waiting for any parts or anything at this time, or are they just doing the final preparations for the ferry? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I believe there have been some challenges around accessing parts and stuff, but I believe that, going forward, with all the other work that is happening, I do not believe that will impede the delivery date of when we are going to put the ferries in during the first or second week of June.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today I was talking about mental health and mental illness, and I have some questions for the Minister of Health and Social Services. Can the Minister please tell us what kind of training front-line workers are doing besides Mental Health First Aid? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Masi. Minister of Health and Social Services.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, Mental Health First Aid is one of the programs that we offer throughout the Northwest Territories. It is recognized internationally as one of the best practice models out there for tackling mental health issues, and we make it available to all residents across the Northwest Territories. In-house, we do have training for our staff about our particular programs and services they provide, but that is for staff that we have within the Health and Social Services system. As far as training we provide to other GNWT employees, I would have to check with the department to see what we do make available, if anything. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
I thank the Minister for that answer. I guess we are seeing too many tragedies out here in this world, especially in all of our ridings. As we move forward, will the Minister look at other alternatives such as the strengthening mental health for children offered through NWTRP as an opportunity for front-line workers to be using that course?
When it comes to addressing mental health issues and challenges across the Northwest Territories, there are a number of stakeholders and partners involved doing really fantastic work. Bell Canada is doing a significant amount of work to create awareness and encourage people to talk about the challenges that residents are having, and there are other organizations like Sport and Rec Council that are delivering training as well.
I am not as familiar with the program that the Member is talking about today. I have asked the Member to provide me with some details on the program so that I can share that with the department, have a discussion with him on how it may fit within the current types of programs that we're delivering, but until I am familiar with that type of program, or that exact program, actually, I am not prepared to make any commitments to have it as one of the ones that we're delivering on behalf of Health and Social Services.
The Minister is right. He has asked me to get that information to him, and I will get that information to him. I guess the next question for the Minister: what kind of work has the department been doing to train other departments in working to help address this challenging issue?
There are a number of different things that we're doing. We have the ASIST training as well. That is available to Education, Culture and Employment. I know Education, Culture and Employment takes this very seriously as well and is looking at providing different types of supports in their school system. We are currently working on a Youth Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan, which we are hoping will help strengthen us and the services we provide in this area.
I will go back to Mental Health First Aid, Mr. Speaker. This is, as I have indicated, a Canadian program. In the Northwest Territories, it is catered specifically to the Northwest Territories and some of the challenges we are facing. It is recognized internationally as one of the best practises, one of the best courses, for helping people get trained and aware and also, in the Northwest Territories, point them to where services are available for residents. So we are encouraging people to attend this. I would strongly encourage all MLAs to attend this three-day workshop and help develop those skills, and non-Members as well, so that they could talk about this program and encourage others to attend from a point of view of knowing and understanding the course. I have had an opportunity to take it, Mr. Speaker. It is a fantastic course, and it is well worth the three-day investment.
Masi. Oral questions. Member for Nahendeh.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and I thank the Minister for his answer. I, too, have taken the Mental Health First Aid training, but also have taken Strengthen Children's Mental Health as well, and basically, what I am looking at is: can the Minister make a commitment to work with his colleagues, the other Ministers, to have the front-line staff get some training out there? Because we are having lots of tragedies out there. We are seeing a lot of losses of lives, and it is really disappointing. Will the Minister work with the Minister of MACA and the Minister of ECE to get the front-line workers out there, just get that commitment to start working together on this issue for further training? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when it comes to action plans that are across departments, like the Youth Mental Health and Addictions Action Plan that is coming, we do work closely with our partner departments to make sure that whatever we are proposing is reasonable and feasible across the Government of the Northwest Territories. I do take the Member's point, and we do need to work to ensure that our front-line staff, including teachers, social workers, income support workers, and others who may have direct contact with individuals who are struggling are aware and can identify the signs and properly provide advice to those residents and point them in the right direction. I will certainly have some additional conversations with my colleagues about encouraging some of their staff members to participate in training like the Mental Health First Aid.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to report to the Assembly that the Standing Committee on Government Operations has reviewed Bill 15, An Act to Amend the Tobacco Tax Act.
Mr. Speaker, this bill amends the Tobacco Tax Act to permit the introduction of an excise-paid tax stamp to facilitate verification that the proper taxes have been paid on tobacco sold in the Northwest Territories, thereby reducing opportunities for the sale of contraband tobacco. The bill also amends the process for tax collection to the "purchase method," requiring the remittance of taxes owing by wholesalers to the government of the Northwest Territories at the time that tobacco is purchased from manufacturers. Finally, the bill eliminates the need for retail dealers to act as "deputy collectors" under the act and eliminates commissions paid to wholesale dealers.
Mr. Speaker, the Standing Committee on Government Operations held a public hearing on this bill in Yellowknife on April 6, 2017. At that hearing, the committee heard from Mr. Roger Walker who, as the owner and general manager of Territorial Tobacco Products, is the only tobacco wholesaler resident in the Northwest Territories. Mr. Walker raised some general concerns about tobacco tax collection that are outside of the scope of the bill. The committee understands that the government's Department of Finance has taken Mr. Walker's concerns into consideration and responded accordingly. The committee would like to thank Mr. Walker for his input.
A public clause-by-clause review of the bill took place earlier this afternoon. With that, Mr. Speaker, the committee wishes to report that Bill 15, An Act to Amend the Tobacco Tax Act, is now ready for consideration in Committee of the Whole. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Mr. Speaker, I wish to table the following document entitled "Economic Opportunities Strategy: Progress Report 2015-2016." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Tabling of documents. Minister of Finance.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I wish to table "Appendices for Return to Written Question 19-18(2): Position Vacancy and Overtime Statistics." Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
